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Show Notes
What strengthens you? Are you able to do that most of the time at work or in your personal life? What do you think of when you hear the word “productivity”? Some might think it means being busy. And if it only means busy and not what strengthens you, this will lead to stress, overwhelm, and burnout. Productivity is accomplishing those goals that strengthen you and are meaningful. Enjoying the quality of life you want, having meaningful relationships, and doing things that feed your soul.
References in this podcast:
Marcus Buckingham & Don Clifton, Now Discover Your Strengths
Damon Zahariades, The 5-Minute Productivity Hack That Will Revolutionize Your Workday
Key Takeaways
Here are a few key takeaways from Episode 35 of “The Quiet And Strong Podcast”:
- Understanding Productivity: Productivity is not just about being busy but about accomplishing goals that strengthen and are meaningful to you.
- Introvert Needs for Productivity: Introverts often need quiet focus time, time to prepare and reflect, and time to recharge throughout the day to be effective and productive.
- Time Management Strategies: Strategies such as time chunking, setting clear priorities, and having dedicated focus time can help manage tasks and projects efficiently.
- Importance of Solitude: Regular quiet time is essential for introverts to think, plan, and be creative, enhancing their productivity.
- Planning and Review: Planning your tasks the night before and regularly reviewing your progress can help stay focused and organized.
- Email Management: Responding to emails should be balanced with focused work; it’s crucial to find a method that allows for both without constant interruptions.
- Setting Realistic Goals: Being realistic with your to-do list and focusing on a few key priorities can lead to greater success and peace of mind.
- Personal Retreats: Periodically taking a retreat to reassess goals and priorities can be particularly beneficial for introverts to remain aligned and focused.
Make Changes Now
Based on the insights in this episode about introverts and productivity, here are five actionable steps you can take immediately:
Reflect and Identify Priorities:
- Take some time to reflect on what truly strengthens you both personally and professionally. Identify your top 3-5 most important tasks or projects that align with your strengths and priorities.
Time Chunking:
- Begin to practice time chunking by setting aside specific blocks of time for focused work. Look at your upcoming week and block off chunks of time on your calendar dedicated to your top priorities without interruptions.
Minimize Distractions:
- Evaluate your workspace and identify common distractions. Develop strategies to minimize these distractions, such as closing email when working on important tasks or communicating to others that you are unavailable during certain times.
Daily Planning:
- Implement a daily planning routine. Spend five minutes each night planning the following day’s tasks. Prioritize according to your goals and make sure to allocate specific times for each task.
Establish Quiet Time:
- Schedule daily quiet time for reflection, planning, and recharging. This can be as simple as a consistent hour each day where you have solitude to gather your thoughts and plan your next steps.
By taking these steps, you will begin to align your time management with your unique needs as an introvert, thereby enhancing your productivity and overall well-being.
Links and Contacts
Contact the Host of the Quiet and Strong Podcast:
David Hall
Author, Speaker, Educator, Podcaster
quietandstrong.com
Gobio.link/quietandstrong
david [at] quietandstrong.com
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Get David’s book:
Minding Your Time: Time Management, Productivity, and Success, Especially for Introverts
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Timestamped Overview
00:00 Prioritize meaningful work for a fulfilling life.
03:29 Introverts have unique needs for productivity.
06:47 Manage meetings and projects with time chunking.
11:10 Introverts thrive with focused time for projects.
15:13 Prioritize time, set goals, balance life.
17:28 Introverts have unique strengths and needs. Embrace them.
Podcast Transcript
David Hall [00:00:09]:
Hello, and welcome to the Quiet and Strong podcast, especially for introverts. I’m your host, David Hall, and the creator of quietandstrong.com. This is a weekly podcast dedicated to understanding the strengths and needs of introverts. Introversion is not something to fix, but to be embraced. Normally, we’ll air each episode on a Monday. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite platform. So many of us feel stressed and get overwhelmed not because we’re taking on too much, But because we’re taking on too little of what really strengthens us. This is a quote from Marcus Buckingham, author of Now Discover Your Strengths and many other great books.
David Hall [00:00:57]:
So what strengthens you? Are you able to do what strengthens you most of the time at work, or what do you want to accomplish in your personal life? What do you think of when you hear the word productivity? Some might think busy. And if it only means busy And not what strengthens you. This will lead to stress, overwhelm, and burnout. I look at productivity as accomplishing those goals that strengthen you and are meaningful, enjoying the quality of life that you want, Having meaningful relationships, doing things that feed your soul. As you define your goals, What does your best life look like? What do you want? What are you seeking? There have been too many times in life Or I’ve had way too much to do and was busy, but not productive doing as much meaningful work as I wanted. And with many tasks and projects looming, there’s endless meetings, emails, interruptions. I have found myself spinning my wheels and feeling overwhelmed. You know, in order to help with this, I studied time management for quite some time in an attempt to get my world under control.
David Hall [00:02:26]:
At the same time, I was studying introversion and coming to understand my specific strengths and needs. So in my study of time management, I wasn’t finding much about Introversion is related to time management. Yet I was discovering that as an introvert, I needed some specific things To be more productive, again, doing those things that really strengthen me. So as an introvert, Regularly, I need time to clear my mind. I need quiet focus time for certain tasks and projects. I need time to prepare, to plan, to reflect, and think. And then each day, throughout the day, I need time to recharge in order to be effective. So I put these needs and some strategies together in my book, Minding your time, time management, productivity, and success, especially for introverts.
David Hall [00:03:29]:
There’s many strategies that may apply to both introverts or extroverts. But as introverts, we have unique needs They need to be honored to be our best. Of course, you can get Minding Your Time on Amazon in either paper bag or Kindle. I’ve been incorporating these strategies over the past few years, and I’m finding I get much more done and have a greater sense of peace. As outlined in my book, I’ve learned to set my most important Priorities and determine the task I need to accomplish first. As introverts, we have an amazing gift of thinking. But in order to use this gift, we need some quiet time, some solitude from time to time. Of course, introverts are not all the same, and our needs for solitude are gonna differ.
David Hall [00:04:24]:
I don’t wanna be alone all the time, But I need a little time each day. Lately, I set aside a couple hours each day to focus on whatever is the most important priority. During that A time I try not to think about all the other things I’m supposed to be doing. I try and ignore my emails that are constantly coming in. If I have a nagging thought about something else, I write it down so I can deal with it later. So right now, I’m working on a long term project. There’s many pieces to it, many people, and many contingencies in place. I’m putting together the next steps in this process.
David Hall [00:05:11]:
As an introvert, I love thinking, And I love ideas and concepts. So putting something like this together, it’s very enjoyable. Also for introvert, I need some quiet time for these projects and longer type of tasks. You know, I work in a environment with constant interruptions, whether I’m at work or whether I’m at home working at home. I really enjoy the work I do and the people I work with, but I’ve learned that multitasking is not effective in getting projects done and moving things forward. Truth is multitasking is a myth. We can really only do 1 thing at a time. When we’re trying to do more than 1 thing at a time, we’re switching between tasks and usually not doing it very effectively.
David Hall [00:06:06]:
When we’re starting and stopping, we end up spending more time trying to remember where we left off and getting back into the groove. We’re also likely to make more mistakes. It’s so much better if we can find some time to focus On one thing at a time. Of course, this isn’t always possible, but we should work to have some time to focus each day, especially when it comes to longer term projects. So I live by my calendar. If something is not on my calendar, it’s probably not gonna happen. I have meetings every day. And while I’m in those meetings, of course, I’m not getting much work done, and I’m getting more work to do.
David Hall [00:06:47]:
Sometimes meetings are planned far in advance, and sometimes they appear on my calendar with within just a few days or sometimes with no notice at all. So how can I get projects done with so many meetings and constant interruptions? So recently, I started to employ a method called time chunking. Time chunking is looking at my day in chunks. I spent so much time in the past trying to do everything at once and often failed at getting anything done. So now at the end of the week, I review my week and my tasks and projects I need to do and think, where should I chunk my time next week? I look at my Top maybe 3 or so important projects and block off some chunks for a couple hours or whatever the amount of time is needed on my calendar for each task. During this time, If I can close my door and try to block out other distractions, I let other others around me know that I’m working on a project, And I’m unavailable for a certain amount of time. I try not to answer the phone and try not to pay attention to emails. Email’s probably the hardest.
David Hall [00:08:03]:
Of course, it will depend on the nature of your work, how often you need to respond. I was talking with someone It only checks his email in the evening. It works for him, but you are probably like me, and this wouldn’t work for you. Right? But how often do you need to check it? You know, maybe some people I’ve heard of other people maybe checking it twice a day, maybe every hour. Maybe you’re in a position where you do need to respond constantly. If you are in that situation But you also have projects to do. You need to work out something where you can have some dedicated focus time So you can get some things done because if you’re constantly re replying to email, You’re not gonna be able to move a major project forward, so figure out how you can negotiate that situation. Also, it’s best to close the email when you’re having this focused time.
David Hall [00:09:07]:
But often in my case, the information I might need for the project is in my email. So it can be a challenge to be in your inbox and then disregard the messages you you you’re seeing come in. Maybe they’re really important. Sometimes I might combat this by copying and pasting The information I need from my email into another document so I can actually close my email. Maybe you have a feature where you can work offline. That could be helpful. Of course, responding to emails is an important part of work. Figure out what works best for you.
David Hall [00:09:47]:
Or maybe there’s certain chunks of time where you can just work through your email. And sometimes we have to change the culture and expectations of those around us. Have you ever had someone pop into your office Or send you an instant message or even give you a call. Hey. Did you get that email? And they sent it like 30 seconds ago. It’s as if you should be watching your email every 2nd. And again, it’s very difficult to get work done this way If you’re watching your emails come in and responding immediately to every single email. And if that’s your sole job, Answering emails? Great.
David Hall [00:10:27]:
Do it all day. But most of us have some other things that we’re supposed to accomplish that take some more focus. And I do try to respond to emails quickly, but sometimes you just gotta let those around you know If you have something urgent, then instant message or text me and Let me know. Hey. Sorry, but this thing is urgent. You know, we all have a lot of work to do. We have big and small tasks that are important. As I said, I’ve tried to do everything at once in the past, but usually, Things don’t all get done this way, you know, if you’re trying to do everything.
David Hall [00:11:10]:
So setting aside time for projects can be most effective and efficient. And I I would say, Especially for introverts, having that time to focus can be the best thing. So with my current project, I’m setting aside some time in chunks and let my introverted mind do its best work. I’m analyzing data, doing some research, putting my ideas out in an Aesthetically pleasing format I love this. I love putting the puzzle together, the pieces of projects such as this. And when completing projects like this it feels amazing you have an amazing sense of accomplishment So if you’re an introvert who sometimes finds it hard to complete tasks, Look at what’s distracting you and find a way to chunk your time blocking out those things that are keeping you from focusing And getting that project finished. So in order to do this, you must have a plan. In his article, The 5 Minute Productivity Hack That will revolutionize your Workday.
David Hall [00:12:18]:
Damon Zahariades states that you should make a plan the night before. This could be accomplished in 5 minutes. According to Damon Zahariats, by simply making a plan, you’ll be able to focus, You’ll know how to move forward, and you’ll work according to your energy levels. The article outlines 7 great tips For making your daily plan, the tips are review your plan before getting to work, Prioritize each task according to your goals. Let people know they shouldn’t interrupt you. Make a note of things you need to complete for each task. Designate a time and location for each major task. Review your daily progress to identify persistent obstacles.
David Hall [00:13:11]:
And number 7, be realistic. I really resonate with the last one, be realistic. I know an overflowing to do list has been a problem for me. In the article, it says that in order to be realistic, You need to be conservative in your time estimates, and leave more time than you think is needed. The second thing he recommends is to limit the number of items on your list. He says to keep it under 10. I know it definitely should just be a handful. You know, there’s been times where I’ve had a 100 things on my list.
David Hall [00:13:44]:
But by not having a focus, I ended up not accomplishing much. You’ll be more successful and at peace. You learn what you need And what your strengths are. As an introvert, you have a great gift in thinking but need some focus to use your gift effectively. You need some time to think, but you also must be realistic about what’s possible to do. I found that when I try to focus On whatever most important, I get far more done than if I try to do a 100 things at once. We can continually get better and better at organizing our time. I know for me, I’m forever tweaking my system.
David Hall [00:14:25]:
One of the things I found is a weekly review is critical at the beginning and end of each week. I make time every day to clear my head Get clear on my objectives. I’ve learned that I need to approach anything I do with my strengths and needs as an introvert in mind. For example, as an introvert, I not only enjoy a little quiet time, but I found that for me to be successful, this quiet time is not just a want. It’s a need. As an introvert, my mind is always going, and I have an endless supply of ideas. Not only is it a challenge to keep up with my own ideas, but, of course, I have to carry out the day to day responsibilities at work as well as the ideas of others sometimes. Over the years, I’ve gotten much better organized.
David Hall [00:15:13]:
It’s clear that while I might still be able to get just a bit more organized and squeeze in a bit more into my day, There’s always more to do than possible even in a state of perfect organization. So for me, Organizing and prioritizing my time is critical. Another strategy I employ is having a little retreat from myself Every couple of months to ponder the goals I have for life and work, I think this time alone can be great for anyone, But especially good for introverts. Here’s some questions I ask when I sit down with myself. What are my most important goals in life? What do I need to do each day, week, month to meet these goals? What are the most important task and projects I need to accomplish at work? What must I do each day, week, month to reach these goals at work? What are things I can give someone else to do? What can I stop doing and no one will care? Too often, there’s something that we’ve just done because we’ve always done it, but we need to think about it. Like, is this really important? Does anyone still care about this particular thing? Also ask myself, what what are some lower priority things That I can schedule for later. How can I balance my most important goals with the necessary day to day activities? Because there’s always gonna be day to day things that you have to accomplish while you’re working on your most important goals. So what is that important goal that you need to make progress on? What’s something that you can do now to make great progress in moving that goal forward? So, again, back to productivity, it’s not about being busy, but it’s about doing the right things that are meaningful to you.
David Hall [00:17:28]:
As an introvert, your approach is gonna be different than an extrovert as your strengths and needs are different. So to be successful, approach life boldly as an introvert and what works best for you. Thank you so much for joining me. I look forward to further connecting with you. Reach out at David at Quiet and Strong .com. Check out the website quiet and strong.com. I’ll add social media channels to the show notes. Please comment.
David Hall [00:18:02]:
Send me topics or guests you would like to see on the show. There’s so many great things about being an introvert, And we need those to be understood. Get to know your introverted strengths and needs, and be strong.
David Hall, M.Ed. is a speaker, author, and host of the Quiet and Strong Podcast, where he interviews thought leaders, creatives, and professionals who help introverts thrive. With over 25 years in higher education, David has led workshops, trainings, and presentations on productivity, personality, and introversion. His mission is to help introverts honor their needs, understand their strengths, and succeed on their own terms. He is the author of Minding Your Time: Time Management, Productivity, and Success, Especially for Introverts and a passionate advocate for creating work environments where introverts can do their best work.
